This invention relates generally to location reporting apparatus and methods. More particularly, this invention relates to location reporting apparatus and methods that use the Global Positioning Satellite System (xe2x80x9cGPSxe2x80x9d) to ascertain an object""s location. Even more particularly, this invention relates to location reporting apparatus and methods that are triggerable and that report their location derived from GPS signals via cellular, satellite or terrestrial two-way paging signals.
Frequently, people use credit to purchase consumer items, such as automobiles, televisions or computers. The purchasers take possession of the item and take it to their homes or offices and put them into use. They are responsible for making periodic payments to the creditor, the person or entity that extended the credit, to pay off the loan. The creditor retains a lien on the property and is also known as xe2x80x9clien-holderxe2x80x9d.
In today""s mobile society, people frequently move from one location to another. When they move, they typically take their possessions, including those possessions covered by a lien held by the lien-holder. Sometimes when they move they stop making their periodic payments to the lien-holder, perhaps believing that they no longer have to make payments and that the lien-holder will not be able to locate them.
Further, some people simply move a possession, such as an automobile, covered by a lien, in order to hide it from the lien-holder when they stop making payments.
In either case, the lien-holder is faced with having to locate and take possession of the item covered by the lien. At times, such a process can be expensive, time consuming, and even dangerous, requiring the lien-holder to hire investigators to locate the debtor and, hopefully, the item covered by the lien.
Stolen items present a similar challenge. In the case of automobiles, thieves can steal a car, take it to a xe2x80x9cchop shopxe2x80x9d, or a specially outfitted body shop where the automobile is dismantled into salable parts in just a few hours. The traditional response to an automobile theft is to report the theft to the police who then do their best to find the automobile before it is dismantled.
Other consumer items can be dismantled or otherwise placed into an underground market within just a few hours of their theft. Alternatively, such items can be removed to the thief""s home, where they are hidden from the eyes of the police or other investigators.
Even people are subject to being xe2x80x9cstolenxe2x80x9d, or kidnapped. Again, the traditional response is to report a missing person to the police and other law enforcement agencies who then conduct a search for the missing person.
Upon receipt of a page or the occurrence of another triggering action, the invention determines its location using GPS signals and reports the location via cellular, two-way page or satellite telemetry. The telemetry is routed to a service provider, which takes an appropriate action, such as informing the lien-holder of the location of the object covered by the lien. The page may include a command that will cause the invention to; actuate an actuator or a sensor and report the results via the cellular, two-way page or satellite telemetry.
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a triggerable remote controller, comprising a trigger signal including a command, a GPS processor coupled to the trigger signal, a position signal carrying position information generated by the GPS processor in response to the trigger signal, a telemetry transmitter coupled to the position signal, a telemetry transmit signal transmitted by the telemetry transmitter, the telemetry transmit signal carrying the position information, a trigger signal controller coupled to the trigger signal, an actuator coupled to the trigger signal controller, the trigger signal controller being configured to attempt to activate the actuator depending on the command.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following. The trigger signal source may comprise a page receiver. The trigger signal may activate when the page receiver receives a page. The trigger signal controller may be coupled to the telemetry transmitter. The trigger signal controller may be configured to transmit to the telemetry transmitter a command status signal indicating whether the actuator had been actuated. The command status signal may be incorporated into the telemetry transmit signal. The trigger signal controller may be coupled to an apparatus controller. The trigger signal controller may be configured to transmit to the apparatus controller a command status signal indicating whether the actuator had been actuated. The apparatus controller may be configured to transmit to the trigger signal controller an additional command and the trigger signal controller may perform a function in response to the additional command. The triggerable remote controller may further comprise a second actuator. The trigger signal controller may attempt to actuate the second actuator in response to the additional command. The triggerable remote controller may further comprise a sensor. The trigger signal controller may attempt to access the sensor in response to the additional command.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a triggerable remote controller comprising a trigger signal including a command, a GPS processor coupled to the trigger signal, a position signal carrying position information generated by the GPS processor in response to the trigger signal, a telemetry transmitter coupled to the position signal, a telemetry transmit signal transmitted by the telemetry transmitter, the telemetry transmit signal carrying the position information, a trigger signal controller coupled to the trigger signal, a sensor coupled to the trigger signal controller, the trigger signal controller being configured to attempt to access the sensor depending on the command.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following. The trigger signal source may comprise a page receiver. The trigger signal may activate when the page receiver receives a page. The trigger signal controller may be coupled to the telemetry transmitter. The trigger signal controller may be configured to read information from the sensor when, it accesses the sensor. The trigger signal controller may be configured to transmit the information to the telemetry transmitter. The information may be incorporated into the telemetry transmit signal. The trigger signal controller may be coupled to an apparatus controller. The trigger signal controller may be configured to read information from the sensor when it accesses the sensor. The trigger signal controller may be configured to transmit the information to the apparatus controller. The apparatus controller may be configured to transmit to the trigger signal controller an additional command in response to the information. The trigger signal controller may perform a function in response to the additional command. The triggerable remote controller may further comprise an actuator. The trigger signal controller may attempt to actuate the actuator in response to the additional command. The triggerable remote controller may further comprise a second sensor. The trigger signal controller may attempt to access the second sensor in response to the additional command.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method for remotely controlling an object comprising receiving a page incorporating a command; determining, in response to the page, the location of the object using GPS signals; transmitting the location of the object via telemetry; attempting an action in response to the command.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following. The method may further comprise including in the telemetry an indication of whether the function was performed. Attempting an action may comprise actuating an actuator. The method may further comprise including in the telemetry an indication of whether the actuator was actuated. Attempting an action may comprise sensing information from a sensor. The method may further comprise including in the telemetry the information sensed from the sensor.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a GPS antenna comprising a housing having a grommet shape, an antenna configured to receive a GPS signal, and the antenna being embedded in the housing.